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Robson Laidler Accountants

Amanda Cowie

Director and Chartered Financial Planner
0191 281 8191 acowie@robson-laidler.co.uk

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Qualifications FCA register Statement of Professional Standing
Hard at work

Amanda in the office

After I left school, I joined the Bank of Scotland, progressing to corporate lending manager following completion of my Chartered Banker qualification.

More than 20 years and one global financial crisis later (!), I became very disillusioned with corporate banking, and a big birthday made me think about a career change. I’d seen the quality of financial advice offered by the big banks at the time (which I considered to be poor), and thought I could do better.

My exit strategy was to get through my exams in a year and look for a new role. I started at Robson Laidler Wealth in 2012, completed my Chartered Exams in 2015, and became a director shortly afterwards.

While I have specialist knowledge in the NHS pension scheme and later life advice, the area of work I particularly enjoy is helping clients plan for when the “salary tap” is switched off. I also specialise in helping people to feel comfortable in their spending and gifting during the rest of their lives. And I have particular expertise in advising clients who are selling or have sold their business.

The things I love most about my job are having great conversations with clients and their families, and seeing a lightbulb come on when a client realises they can plan to stop work much earlier than they’d previously imagined. I also like helping clients understand they can spend and give more without fear of running out of money themselves.

The types of clients I most enjoy working with are those who actively engage in their financial plans, see me as a trusted adviser, and ask lots of questions about anything financial. My clients have lots of interests, particularly in travel, so I like that we can share travel tips with each other!

I also enjoy working with all my lovely team members, a great bunch of hard-working people.

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Away from the desk

Amanda out of the office

I love spending time with my husband Neil (when we aren’t working together and he isn’t golfing…), as well as my two daughters Katie and Thea, who don’t live locally, plus my wider family and friends.

In terms of pastimes, travel takes the top spot. When not away, I love tennis, yoga, running, gym classes, learning Italian, and trying new restaurants.

I’m also passionate about financial education, and regularly volunteer as an education champion in local schools.

Spilling the beans

What's on your
bucket list?

Visit Machu Picchu, and all of South America, really.

Travel to Montenegro and Slovenia.

Improve my Italian so I can have an actual conversation with a local!

Qualifications

  • Award in Long Term Care Insurance

    This level 3 award develops the knowledge and understanding of long-term care cover, including legal, taxation and regulatory issues and the responsibilities of local authorities.

  • Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning

    This level 4 diploma meets the FCA’s qualification requirements for retail investment advisers and helps candidates to develop core technical knowledge and financial planning capabilities.

  • Advanced Diploma in Financial Planning

    This qualification enables professional advisers to develop specialist planning capabilities, covering topics such as personal tax and trust, business financial, pension and investment planning.

  • Certificate in Life and Pensions

    The life and pensions route builds knowledge and understanding of the sector’s role and its activities. It considers important customer needs, solutions and products, and how individuals and organisations work within the regulatory and legislative environment.

  • AF1 Advanced Diploma in Personal Tax and Trust Planning

    This examination assesses the candidate to develop in-depth financial planning skills related to personal tax and trusts.

  • AF3 Pension Planning

    This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to personal and corporate pensions.

  • AF4 Investment Planning

    This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to investments and the management of investment portfolios.

  • AF5 Financial Planning Process

    This examination assesses the candidate to develop an understanding of the financial planning process when giving advice to clients.

  • J02 Trusts

    At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the: legal principles associated with the creation and management of a trust; the main types of trusts that are common in the UK; and taxation considerations relevant to trusts.

  • J03 The Tax and Legal Aspects of Business

    At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of: the main legal forms of business and how they are set up and managed; the consequences of bankruptcy or insolvency; business accounts and financial controls; the taxation of each type of business entity, its owners and employees; the main legal responsibilities businesses have to employees, suppliers and customers.

  • R01 Financial Services, Regulation, and Ethics

    This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the financial services industry, including regulation, legislation and the Code of Ethics.

  • R02 Investment Principles & Risk

    This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of investment products and the application of the investment advice process.

  • R03 Personal Taxation

    This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK taxation system, and the ability to analyse the taxation treatment of individuals and trusts during the investment advice process.

  • R04 Pensions and Retirement Planning

    This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of an ability to analyse pension and retirement planning issues.

  • R05 Financial Protection

    This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of an ability to analyse financial protection planning issues.

  • R06 Financial Planning Practice

    This qualification helps advisers develop and demonstrate their financial planning capabilities.

  • CF1 UK Financial Services, Regulation, and Ethics

    This examination develops understanding of the financial services industry, including regulation and legislation.

  • CF8 Certificate in Financial Planning and Long-Term Care Insurance

    This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, long term care insurance products and the giving of long term care insurance advice.

  • ER1 Equity Release

    This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the different types of equity release products, risks to the consumer associated with equity release and application of suitable equity release solutions according to the circumstances of different customers.

Chartered Financial Planner

Chartered status is awarded by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and is considered the ‘gold standard’ financial planning accreditation. Chartered status is a symbol of technical competence and signifies a public commitment to upholding professional standards and adhering to a professional Code of Ethics

LLAA Later Life Adviser Accreditation

Having been developed over a number of years, the Later Life Adviser Accreditation (LLAA) has now become established as the Gold Standard for those advising in the later life market. In addition to being a stand-alone award, it is also the basis of membership of the Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA).

RAS Retirement Advice Standard

The Retirement Advice Standard aims to assist people and their families in finding trusted financial advisers who understand financial needs at the point of, and throughout, retirement.

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    Robson Laidler Financial Planning Ltd t/a Robson Laidler Wealth. Registered office: Fernwood House, Fernwood Road, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 1TJ. Robson Laidler Financial Planning Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Registration number 458879. Registered in England and Wales. Company number: 05395046.

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